Getting Your Shrimp and Grits (and more!) at The Big Eat 2019

By Jessica Thomas Lewis

We're about halfway through The Big Eat in Winston-Salem, with three more weeks to enjoy signature dishes from local restaurants at up to 50% off.   This year's Big Eat is running Tuesday evenings from January 8 - February 12.  Greensboro has their own Big Eat event that runs February 5 - February 26.

An annual event, The Big Eat helps local restaurants get through the slower winter months.  Between the two cities, there are nearly two dozen restaurants participating, representing a wide variety of flavors and styles.  These restaurants do tend to attract a lot of business on their Big Eat day!  Reservations are recommended at most locations. Dine in is required, and restaurants may run out of their signature dish, so get there early.

Shrimp and Grits at 6th and Vine, from their Facebook Page

Shrimp and Grits is a common theme at this year's The Big Eat.  Several of the restaurants have Shrimp and Grits on the menu, each prepared a little differently. At 6th and Vine, the Shrimp and Grits are served with Chorizo sausage, onions, peppers, cheddar, and shrimp in a creamy Cajun sauce.  At Bleu Restaurant & Bar, the Shrimp & Grits are served with Andouille Sauce, Creamy Grits, Spinach & Cherry Tomatoes.  The Old Fourth Street Filling Station's Carolina Shrimp N' Grits includes shrimp, andouille sausage, tomato, baby spinach, chipotle cream sauce, and a fried grit cake. You're only going to have one more opportunity this year to have some during The Big Eat; 6th and Vine is offering them on February 5 for only $7.

There are many seafood dishes offered this year, such as Seared Ahi Tuna Rare, Sauteed Black Pepper Crusted Jumbo Shrimp, and Pan Roasted Diver Sea Scallops at Bernardin's, Mussel's at Hutch & Harris, and PBR Mussels with country ham and charred bread at Krankies.

If you prefer steak or chicken, Jeffrey Adams is offering a 12 oz NY Strip and a 14oz Ribeye, the Chicken or Steak Fajita Plate at Señor Bravo, or Pho Chicken at Thai Harmony.

So many choices and there are many other signature dishes to choose from!

All of the featured entrees are listed on the Big Eat NC website here.   Try a new restaurant this Tuesday!

Kabobs on Fourth - A Review

Persion Food is the specialty.  Order and pay at the counter.  Service at Kabobs on Fourth is friendly and welcoming. The food is delicious! I ordered the Veggie Kabob.  It's got zucchini, mushroom, onions, green pepper & tomato, marinated with house seasoning.  I chose rice as my side and salad also came with it.  I assumed the kabob would be skewered, mine was not.  The plate was well presented and the food was good so we were happy.

Kabobs resembles any downtown diner.  It is friendly, comfortable and well located in the center of Downtown Winston-Salem.  Suitable for couples and small groups or families.  There's a big table in the back but most seat four.

Price is reasonable.  My plate was $10 plus $1 for the rice instead of naan.

We were there on a Saturday night at 6:30.  We were able to order immediately and sit, our food took 15-20 minutes.

For menu and directions, click here to visit Kabobs on Fourth website

Camel City BBQ Factory: A Review

This was our first visit to Camel City BBQ Factory, we will be back.

The atmosphere at Camel City BBQ is welcoming for all ages. There were lots of families and adult groups, there is a bar, lots of TVs, and a great game room. This place is just plain fun for both kids and adults... and the food is great. There are big windows in the dining area and because the restaurant sits on the second floor there are good views of downtown.

We were there at 6:30 on a Friday night and our party of five was immediately seated. The dining area is upstairs, and there is outside seating available. It was rather loud, but the place was full and it was bearable. There were games to play, both video and game boards, available while you waited at your table.

The food was very good and the service was good. I had the pulled pork plate. Cole slaw (red or white) and hush puppies are included and I selected sweet potato fries as my side. The white cole slaw tasted just like my mom's, which is rare to find. The pork was delicious. The hush puppies and sweet potato fries were good but average. Meals are served on a recyclable plate with plastic utensils. We got forks and spoons but could have used a knife, especially for the child's chicken tender.

After dinner we went into the game room. There is an arcade with Donkey Kong and other 80s games. Pin ball, skee ball, pool tables, darts. It was fun and we spent another half hour or so playing after dinner.

It did feel like the place could a bit of touching up. The space is nice but it is an old building and the ladies restroom in the arcade could use patching and repair. The toilet was broken when I used it. The restaurant has concrete floors and they were "sticky" in the dining area. None of this detracted from the food or the atmosphere; all in all Camel City BBQ is a great place for a date, family dining, meeting friends, there's even space for private parties.

A huge plus for me is it's location downtown. One block over from the Arts District, Camel City is also diagonal from Artivity on the Green, one of our favorite places to go downtown. (Prime time to visit Artivity is sunset; stay until it's dark for the best experience.) There is shopping on Sixth Street and beyond, easy to walk.

Parking is easy. They have their own parking lot and parking is free on the street in the evening. Camel City BBQ is a good addition to Winston-Salem's downtown.


First Published on tripadvisor
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g49680-d8645849-r377661183-Camel_City_BBQ_Factory-Winston_Salem_North_Carolina.html#

The Big Eat 2015: Week 1

By Jessica Thomas Lewis

This is the second week for The BIG Eat, an annual downtown event that showcases local restaurants with signature dishes at 50% off.


The BIG Eat is held each Tuesday in January. Click on the picture to the right to see each week's participating establishments.

West End Coffee House at 390 N. Broad Street in Winston-Salem

Last week, the girls and I enjoyed the brownie sundae at West End Coffee House.  We got to choose the gelato flavor.   (The gelato is made in-house.  Yum.)  I chose vanilla bean, my younger chose sugar cookie and my older chose chocolate with a fancy name.  The brownie for our sundae was as big as the plate; it was huge!  Topped with whipped cream and drizzled with our choice of chocolate, caramel or hazelnut sauce.  We each ended up taking half of our brownie home.  Well worth it, especially at The BIG Eat price of $3.12.

You have to eat this Sundae with a fork!  My girls, of course, were joking in these photos.  Look how big it is!

This week, we've decided to try Sweet Potatoes for the first time.  I know, I know.  I can't believe we haven't been there yet, either.  Can't wait to tell y'all all about our first visit.  The signature dish for The BIG Eat this week at Sweet Pototoes is Mommas Meatloaf: smothered with mushroom-onion gravy topped with crispy tobacco onions served with the vegetable of the day and garlic smashed potatoes.  Priced at $7.00 during The Big Eat.

This was the beautiful sunset as we left downtown Winston-Salem after last week's The Big Eat.

La Casa Lopez Mexican Grill

By Denton Gerow

I got spoiled in California with fresh, family made Mexican food.  I found some okay places around but none of them could match up in flavor or that 'you're home' kind of hospitality I had come to enjoy.

Then I found La Casa Lopez Mexican Grill, 3028 Healy Dr. Winston Salem.  The Lopez family runs this corner restaurant in the strip plaza just off of Stratford Rd.    They make you feel like you are a long lost friend the first time you walk in the door and it only gets better from there.  They respect when you need some quiet time and they make a large group feel like they each are important to them.

Their menu has something for everyone.  From the best ChoriQueso dip to vegetarian options, to seafood and a wide range of classic dishes, everything here that I have tasted has been delicious.

Among of my favorites to order are the Lunch Special Nachos, a pile of chips, with the meat of your choice, covered in cheese dip, homemade guacamole, salsa and creme fresh with lettuce and tomatoes.  

If you are hungry, can't make up your mind, or want to split something, try the Special Dinner.  It takes up to three plates to be delivered, You get a burrito, chalupa, chili relleno, beef enchillada, beef taco, refried beas, and rice  All for $10.49.  

On a quest for trying different flavors I once ordered the Burrito a la Roqueta.  Two burritos filled with tender delicious carnitas (pork), covered in verde sauce and served with pico de gallo and rice.  This dish is awesome and I highly suggest it.

On a warm day or nice night, be sure to ask to sit on the patio, smoking allowed.  Oh and don't forget they have inexpensive draft beers.

I don't miss those spots in California anymore.

Welcome New Contributor Denton Gerow!

Denton was born in Charlotte, but has lived all over the eastern seaboard and in California.  An avid Foodie, he prefers to eat at local joints, hole in the walls and the oft missed.  Denton loves to cook and share his passions for food, cigars, beer and more.

Restaurant Review: Monte de Rey in Walkertown

3018 Old Hollow Road, Walkertown, NC 27051  336-595-3033  

Monte de Rey opened in Walkertown only a couple of months ago, but it is quickly becoming a favorite spot for our family! The restaurant itself is spacious and brightly decorated, with amazing colorful scenes handpainted on the tables and chairs. The staff is super friendly and engaging. The menu is extensive.

As any good Mexican restaurant does, we are quickly delivered a basket of chips and a large bowl of salsa. I love that we don't have to ask for more salsa, there is usually someone walking around and refilling as needed. The salsa is tasty; just the right amount of heat so yummy!

I've had the Pollo Loco a couple of times. Delicioso! I've also had the spinach quasadilla, which is better than I've had elsewhere.

My girls like being called Princesa every time we visit. It's a very welcoming atmosphere and we love to eat there for both the food and the service.

Time visited: We've been there a few times on Friday night. We are always seated quickly and the service is quick. We've also been there on a Sunday afternoon after church and that seemed to be a much busier time for the restaurant. Still immediate seating and quick service.

This is a also a great restaurant for large parties. Plenty of tables big enough for eight or more.

• Visited July 2014

Review: Walkertown Seafood Shack

Walkertown Seafood Shack
2890 Darrow Rd
Walkertown 27051

First time at the Seafood Shack, although I live very close and the parking lot is always full enough to know I should stop in. I'm glad we did! The food and service are awesome. Huge portions. I had the broiled platter and it was amazing. Enough of everything to share around. The place was busy but our wait for a family of four was 5-10 minutes. Fried pickles are also good (the ranch dressing tastes homemade.) And everyone was smiling and friendly.

Pros: The food was amazing (really!), there was a lot of it (we'll be able to get at least another meal with leftovers) and the staff was nice.

Cons: A little expensive for my budget with a family of four.

Time Visited:  7:30pm on a Saturday night

Downtown Winston-Salem: The Big Eat 2013

The Big Eat is back!  

This is a great way to support local businesses, discover a new eatery, explore downtown,

and enjoy an otherwise boring Tuesday evening!

Click the picture to see a list of participating restaurants

and each restaurants signature dish.  

Wait!  Before you click the picture,

 you've got to see this ridiculously funny promo for The Big Eat.

Did you know that there are 62 restaurants in the Downtown Winston-Salem area?  Yes, SIXTY-TWO!  You can easily eat somewhere new every day for two months within a radius of just a few miles.  That is amazing!  In addition to that, there are fourteen clubs and bars in Downtown Winston-Salem.  

Click here to see a map of your dining options

Want to know a little about a restaurant before your first visit?  Click here for a link to reviews of hundreds of Triad restaurants!

Local Restaurant Reviews: Urbanspoon Piedmont Triad

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